David Huber
Dave Huber is the Deputy Director of the Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management (PHARM) Division at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM). Dave started with the Agency in January 2016, and was the Agency’s Chief Policy Enforcement Officer, handling all Water Quality Division and PHARM Division cases, for six years. Prior to coming to the Agency, Dave practiced with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Environmental Crimes Unit, a small law firm focused on environmental issues, the Vermont Office of Legislative Counsel, and the Vermont Department of Labor.
Dave currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Northeast Environmental Enforcement Project (NEEP), which provides environmental enforcement training to state government Agencies and Departments across the northeastern and mid-Atlantic United States. He also serves as Chair of the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO) Inspector Training Committee and is also an ASPCRO Board of Director member. Dave holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Master of Studies in Environmental Law and Juris Doctor degrees from Vermont Law School.
Wednesday December 10
Antimicrobial Products Division Program
FIFRA Enforcement in Focus: Navigating Oversight in a Changing Regulatory Landscape
With increased scrutiny at the U.S. border and evolving enforcement priorities under FIFRA, companies in the antimicrobial and pesticide sectors face growing regulatory risk, often without realizing they are on the radar. This session will explore how companies come to the attention of enforcement authorities, with a particular focus on the role of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in identifying and investigating potential violations.
Attendees will gain insight into recent increases in enforcement activity at ports of entry and unpack the organizational structure of EPA and state enforcement, clarifying responsibilities at Headquarters versus Regional Offices, and how regional differences in resources and capabilities can impact import clearances and enforcement intensity.
The discussion will highlight recent trends in inter-regional resource sharing, shifting enforcement priorities, and the potential implications of changes to EPA’s cooperative agreements with states, including the impact on inspection, coordination, and compliance expectations. The session will also include a real-world case study involving an antimicrobial product (non-HCPA member), offering practical lessons and compliance takeaways for companies operating in this increasingly complex enforcement environment.
Speaker:
Michael Boucher, Partner, Steptoe
David Huber, Deputy Director of the Public Health and Agricultural Resource Management Division at Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (virtual)
Joshua Ogawa, Branch Chief, Enforcement Headquarters, California Department of Pesticide Regulation (virtual)
Brent Perry, Program Manager, Registration Services, Agricultural Environmental Services Division, Washington State Department of Agriculture